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‘Talk now' – Real Madrid star's message to Atlético boss Diego Simeone

‘Talk now' – Real Madrid star's message to Atlético boss Diego Simeone

Yahoo04-03-2025

Real Madrid star Brahim Díaz made use of the opportunity to take aim at Atlético head coach Diego Simeone during this evening's meeting between the clubs.
The latest edition of the Madrid Derby, of course, played out a short time ago.
When all was said and done, it was Real Madrid who emerged on the right side of a 2-1 result, to secure a narrow first-leg advantage to take to the Wanda Metropolitano for the tie's return leg.
And it was the aforementioned Brahim Díaz who proved himself the decisive figure.
After Rodrygo's opener was cancelled out courtesy of a spectacular strike on the part of Julián Alvarez, Brahim conjured up a moment of magic of his own, carving out a yard of space in the penalty area before picking out the far corner in style.
And, whilst celebrating, the Moroccan international sent a crystal clear message to none other than Diego Simeone.
As revealed by Movistar, after Atléti's headmaster suggested in his pre-match press conference that Brahim was unlikely to start the fixture, the 25-year-old responded by repeatedly shouting the following in Simeone's direction:
'Speak now! You spoke yesterday! Speak now!'
🤫 "¡Habla ahora!"@Brahim marca y se acuerda de @Simeone. #LaCasaDelFútbol #UCL pic.twitter.com/khuzxo7FVl
— Fútbol en Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarFutbol) March 4, 2025
Conor Laird – GSFN

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Everton new transfers could face wait after key date passes
Everton new transfers could face wait after key date passes

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Everton new transfers could face wait after key date passes

It will be a busy summer at Everton and the fun and games are already underway. On Saturday, the day before the summer transfer window had even opened, the Blues kickstarted their business by sealing the deal to make Carlos Alcaraz's loan move a permanent one . Advertisement It was an early foray in a busy summer pockmarked by key dates for club officials and supporters to be aware of. This is how the calendar looks for the months ahead. An extraordinary transfer window A flurry of deals were confirmed fewer than seven days before the completion of the season in what is set to be a peculiar summer of activity. As well as the Blues announcing Alcaraz, Liverpool have signed Jeremie Frimpong and Manchester United have secured a move for Matheus Cunha, a one-time target of Frank Lampard's Blues. READ MORE: The three games that made Carlos Alcaraz transfer irresistible for Everton Advertisement READ MORE: Everton announcements imminent as decisions to be made on four players after window opens One of the reasons for the early business is the earlier-than-usual opening of the transfer window. Rather than wait until mid-June, as standard, this year the dates have been brought forward to help clubs prepare for the Club World Cup that will take place in the USA later this month. It is preparations for that tournament that led Real Madrid to strike a deal with Liverpool to take Trent Alexander-Arnold early , while it is the looming start of that tournament that may be fuelling speculation of an Al-Hilal bid for former Blue Amadou Onana . Such a deal would net Everton 10% of any Villa profit - a potentially useful boost. This summer, the window will open in two phases - the current opening will last until Tuesday, June 10. It will then reopen on Monday, June 16 until Monday, September 1. Everton have needed deal sheets to conclude business in the final minutes of each of the past two windows - will they need additional time again? Advertisement The PSR deadline The 'exceptional registration' period of early June also gives clubs with concerns about their proximity to the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Regulations additional time to do business. Last year, the window was essentially split into two halves, with the fiscal year-end of June 30 essentially creating an early deadline day. Everton were active before then, selling Ben Godfrey and Lewis Dobbin , in order to bring in some last minute leeway and ensure compliance for the first time in three years. Everton recorded losses of just over £50m for the year ending in June 2024 and will have little room for manoeuvre before the end of the month because of the hangover of recent problematic years. Moyes has repeatedly suggested the need to operate with caution before the end of the football financial year and Everton will be close to the rolling three-year, £105m PSR limit. New owners The Friedkin Group expressed confidence in their position after their December takeover but any opportunity for business this month may provide a useful opportunity to remove any threat of future trouble. Advertisement Other clubs will certainly be active as they seek to improve their positions and the knock-on effect could yet be an intriguing end to this month. Everton's first opponent at the Hill Dickinson Stadium Before the month is out, Everton will know who they will face in their historic first Premier League game at the club's stunning new waterfront stadium. The fixture release date for the upcoming 2025/26 season is scheduled for 9am on Wednesday, June 18. A high-profile summer across the Atlantic Everton will embark on a long-haul pre-season trip for the first time in three years this summer, with the club taking part in the Premier League Summer Series event in the USA. Advertisement A trip to the States had been proposed 12 months ago but former manager Sean Dyche preferred to avoid clocking up the air miles amid preparations for the season ahead. As a result, it was an excursion to the Republic of Ireland last summer, with Dyche having taken the squad to the border of France and Switzerland the year before. This year, it is the USA that beckons and a mini-tournament that will see Everton face Bournemouth in New Jersey on July 26, West Ham United in Chicago on July 30 and Manchester United in Atlanta on August 3. The pre-season will in fact kick-off before then, however, with plans for two behind-closed-doors friendlies as Moyes attempts to start the build-up to the new campaign early.

Champions League 2024-25 review: Games of the tournament, best players and predictions for next season
Champions League 2024-25 review: Games of the tournament, best players and predictions for next season

New York Times

time3 hours ago

  • New York Times

Champions League 2024-25 review: Games of the tournament, best players and predictions for next season

On Saturday, the curtain fell on the 2024-25 Champions League. And if it feels like this iteration of European football's premier club cup competition was more action-packed than ever, then there's a good reason for that. This was the first edition of Europe' premier club competition with an expanded new format featuring a league phase rather than a traditional group stage and, without counting the qualifying rounds, the total number of matches played rose from 125 to 189. Advertisement Remembering even every crucial moment from Paris Saint-Germain's 5-0 triumph over Inter in Munich during the weekend's final is difficult enough. Nonetheless, we challenged five writers to reflect on their favourite moments and games from this season's competition, nominate their goals and players of the tournament, and make a few far-too-early predictions for 2025-26. Ahmed Walid, Seb Stafford-Bloor, Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Dermot Corrigan were up to the task. Walid: Julian Alvarez's penalty in the shootout against Real Madrid in the round of 16. It was a surreal moment as cameras kept replaying Alvarez's penalty to check whether a double-touch had occurred. As referee Szymon Marciniak was speaking with the VAR, Madrid players held up two fingers to the official standing with the teams on the halfway line. The penalty was ruled out and meant that Atletico Madrid went from being tied 2-2 in the spot-kicks that would decide the game to 3-1 down, and went on to lose. It seems that luck is rarely on Atletico's side. Stafford-Bloor: Francesco Acerbi's equaliser against Barcelona in the semi-finals. Acerbi was so far forward and out of context that initially I didn't recognise him. I thought he was some veteran Italian forward — a Marco Borriello regen, perhaps. As a goal, it was also absurd. Somehow, with a lead so late in the game, Barcelona's defenders were left four-on-five at the back, with the covering midfield not even in the frame. Great moments should always possess an inexplicable quality and this one had plenty of those. Maybe employ some rest defence next time, Hansi? Cox: Declan Rice's second free kick against Real Madrid. There's something thrilling about watching an individual doing something spectacular, then shaping up to do the same thing again. It felt like watching a fast bowler steaming in for a hat-trick or a pole-vaulter being assured of victory on the day and trying to set a world record. Carey: I am going to go for a strike that was almost the goal of the competition. Barely 90 seconds after Lamine Yamal curled in the outrageous effort into the far corner for Barcelona in their semi-final first leg with Inter Milan, he received the ball again for another wave of attack. Squaring up Federico Dimarco, Yamal drove to the byline before chopping back — nearly sending Dimarco out of the stadium — taking a touch, and rifling the ball at goal from the tightest of angles. Somehow, Yann Sommer got fingertips on it to push the effort onto the bar. Had Yamal scored, it would have been one of the most memorable Champions League moments – for a teenager to have single-handedly dragged their team back into the game in the blink of an eye. Advertisement Corrigan: It has to be Inter centre-back Francesco Acerbi's tremendous equaliser against Barcelona in the 95th minute of their semi-final second leg. The goal was so brilliantly taken — a true top-class striker's run and finish high past the keeper at the near post — that for a moment, as Acerbi whipped off his jersey to celebrate, it seemed impossible that it had actually been the veteran defender who had scored it. Acerbi shouldn't really have been up in the Barcelona penalty area at that moment but then, for a long time it did not seem he would ever be anywhere close to a Champions League final either, given he almost retired in his early twenties and then twice beat testicular cancer. Walid: There's no competition here: it has to be Inter 4-3 Barcelona at San Siro. It's a game that ebbed and flowed, and kept you on the edge of your seat. The first half was all Inter as their transitional threat gave them a two-goal lead. In the second half, Hansi Flick's side came back to life and did the most damage from the wide areas, with Yamal putting on another unstoppable performance. Barcelona's surprise hero, though, was left-back Gerard Martin who provided two assists to make it 2-2. After Acerbi's dramatic equaliser, Simone Inzaghi's substitutes made the difference in extra time: Mehdi Taremi proved to be an effective outlet for Sommer's long balls, which, alongside Davide Frattesi's runs into the penalty area, led to Inter's eventual winner. Stafford-Bloor: Well, Inter vs Barcelona, naturally. But for the sake of variety, I'll say Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona in the previous round. Truthfully, at 4-0 down after the first leg, Dortmund were dead and buried before they came back to the Westfalenstadion. And yet strange things happened that night. Dortmund played with a relentless intensity, pummelling Barcelona and very, very nearly finding a way to come all the way back. BVB went out on their shield. And, after a difficult season, their fans really appreciated how much the team gave in pursuit of that lost cause. Advertisement Cox: It really has to be Inter 4-3 Barcelona — non-stop drama, twists and turns, and somehow even better than the first leg. Carey: I think anyone who does not say Inter vs Barcelona would be lying, but Hansi Flick's side have been in their fair share of thrillers in this year's competition. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the near-comical scenes in Barcelona's league phase game against Benfica in January, where a 96th-minute winner from Raphinha clinched the game, securing a 5-4 victory in the pouring rain. Hilariously, Barcelona were 4-2 down after 75 minutes, but their comeback typified their season under Flick — a 'we'll score more than you' approach that makes for box-office viewing. Corrigan: Both Barcelona-Inter semi-final legs were fantastically exciting. But for all-round quality of performance, Paris Saint-Germain's displays across their last-16 matches against Liverpool stick in the mind. PSG were incredibly unlucky in the first leg, pummelling Liverpool with some brilliant and cohesive attacking football only to lose 1-0. Many assumed they had lost their chance of progressing, but Luis Enrique's team showed super-impressive composure, organisation and talent in the return at Anfield. Liverpool played a full part in the second leg and PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was superb during the game as well as in the decisive penalty shootout. But for much of the tie, they reached a level that no other team in this year's competition has been capable of. Walid: Vitinha. The Portuguese midfielder can do it all. And, in this Champions League campaign, he did. Defensively, his positioning is impeccable, he is more than happy to go into duels and mops up second balls like Pac-Man on a mission. In addition, Vitinha is a crucial part of PSG's pressing and counter-pressing alongside his midfield partners, Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz. Advertisement On the ball, he dictates the tempo of PSG's attack and pings passes through the opponent's block, while participating in the fluid rotations in the final third, with his off-ball movement being vital. Stafford-Bloor: The player I have most enjoyed watching? Maybe Denzel Dumfries. There are more obvious reasons as to why Inter reached the final, but Dumfries is such a spectacle of a player and such a force in games. Cox: Raphinha. Most goals, most assists. What more do you want? I was in Barcelona to see their 4-1 thrashing of Bayern in the league phase and was amazed by how effective he was at running in behind. I liked him at Leeds but no one expected this. Carey: There is just something about watching a midfield technician utterly control the tempo of a game. Barcelona's Pedri is an exceptional player to watch but, given PSG won the competition, I will go with Vitinha. No player attempted more passes in the whole competition this season — the 25-year-old dictates everything from the middle of the field. Give him the ball in any situation and he will look after possession as though his life depends on it. He has been a joy to watch this year. Corrigan: Vitinha always just seems to be where PSG need him — available to take a pass from team-mates, then moving the ball on simply but effectively, and then being in the right place to intervene if his team loses it and the opposition counter-attack. It's not flashy but it's been absolutely crucial to how PSG have played. The assist for PSG's third goal in the final, with Vitinha involved four times before giving the final pass for Desire Doue, summed up his omnipresence through the tournament. Walid: The league stage had some incredible goals such as Malik Tillman's 90th-minute strike in PSV's 3-2 comeback against Shakhtar Donetsk, Michael Olise's slaloming run for Bayern Munich against the same team or Wilfried Singo's piledriver for Monaco against Red Star Belgrade, but knockout goals are more valuable. Advertisement That's why I went with Ousmane Dembele's strike against Arsenal in the first leg of the semi-finals. The France forward's finish still looks nice despite it being hit with the shin, but it's the build-up of the move that catches the eye. PSG cut through Arsenal's block with smart off-ball movement and Dembele dropping into midfield to attack the vacant space before combining with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to score the winner. WHAT A STRIKE FROM OUSMANE DEMBELE 💥 PSG go ahead quickly at the Emirates thanks to the Frenchman's goal#UCLonPrime — Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) April 29, 2025 Stafford-Bloor: Lamine Yamal vs Inter. Semi-final, first leg. Cox: I really enjoyed Lautaro Martinez's stabbed outside-of-the-foot finish against Bayern, from Marcus Thuram's backheel into his path. You don't see many strike partnerships these days. When you have two centre-forwards on the same wavelength, it's beautiful. Carey: Maybe this has an English bias to it but John Duran's goal for Aston Villa against Bayern Munich was memorable for two reasons. The first point is that it was simply an impressive first-time effort from range, with Duran lofting the ball over a poorly-positioned Manuel Neuer after a direct ball upfield from Pau Torres. The second is that the goal secured a 1-0 victory over Bayern, which was the same scoreline that saw them clinch the European Cup in 1982. Considering this was Villa's first campaign back in the Champions League (or equivalent) for more than 40 years, it was a goal that had great importance within the wider history of the competition — even if there have been more aesthetically pleasing strikes this year. WHAT HAVE WE JUST WITNESSED 🔥 Has Jhon Durán just delivered the moment of the night?! 😮‍💨 📺 Watch @tntsports and @discoveryplusUK — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 2, 2024 Corrigan: Lamine Yamal's goal to drag Barcelona back into the semi-final first leg against Inter was tremendous. But for pure take-your-breath-away skill level, I'll go with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's stunner against Aston Villa in the quarter-final first leg. Kvaratskhelia picked up the ball near halfway, out wide, and seemed to sense a special goal was on, driving forward with lethal intent. The mix of the slow-motion roll of the ball with the studs of his right boot to befuddle poor Axel Disasi and the thunderous power of the left-foot finish past the head of Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was pure poetry. There's no stopping Kvaratskhelia in that position 💨 What a goal 👏 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 9, 2025 Walid: I wasn't really excited for this new format but I'm happy to say I was wrong. The league stage offered exciting match-ups compared to last season's group stage and that's without taking into account the jeopardy on the final matchday. Aston Villa's return to the Champions League featured a replay of the 1982 final against Bayern Munich, Inter faced Arsenal for only the third time ever, and many more fixtures that provided a breath of fresh air. Advertisement On top of that, we saw Liverpool beat Real Madrid 2-0, Barcelona's thrilling 4-1 victory against Bayern and PSG's incredible 4-2 comeback against Manchester City. It's fitting that the final was between two sides who have never faced each other before. Stafford-Bloor: I still think it was a downgrade because the fatty middle of the group stage did feel inconsequential. For instance, PSG were largely poor through the first few rounds and yet winning one of their first five games carried little jeopardy. That's why the competition was reformatted — to ensure that none of the cash cow teams crashed out too early — so in that sense, it was a success for UEFA, but from a spectator's point of view, I needed a bit more engagement. Cox: I didn't love it. I found it tougher than usual to follow the tournament. Individual matches didn't seem to feel quite as important — in the traditional group stage, part of the value of a win is harming your opponent, which is less of a factor in one big league. The final day wasn't as exciting as everyone seemed to hope, and then the bracket part wasn't quite as 'fair' as expected based upon the league placings, because there was a draw involved, which itself was a bit confusing. I also don't really like some sides playing more matches than others because of the play-off round; I don't think top-level footballers needed yet more fixtures. In fact, the more I think about it, the less I liked it. Carey: The fact that Liverpool topped the entire league phase before being drawn against PSG in the last 16 did make a mockery of the new format, in truth. At this level of elite football, there are no easy teams, but it did suggest that there is no huge incentive to finish as high as possible to guarantee an easier draw in the knockout phase. Aside from that, it was a positive that we saw more heavyweight clashes in the league phase but I did find it trickier to keep track of some of the best games when many of them were on simultaneously. Ultimately, six of last year's quarter-finalists reached the last eight again this year, so the cream always rises to the top, no matter what format you have. Advertisement Corrigan: There was some novelty to the league format last autumn and some extra excitement, with PSG, Real Madrid and Manchester City struggling to qualify. They all did make it through, though. Football's biggest problem remains that there are just too many games to fit into the calendar at the moment. Given the new format added more — two in the group stages and then an added knockout round in January — it just has to be a step in the wrong direction for the game in general. Walid: By matchday six, PSG were lingering in 25th place with four points after losing to Arsenal, Atletico and Bayern, and in no way playing like the tournament's winners. Three impressive victories against Red Bull Salzburg, City and Stuttgart ensured their qualification to the play-off round. Their upturn in form coincided with Luis Enrique altering Dembele's role from right winger to centre-forward, with the Frenchman operating as a false nine. Dembele's role was crucial in the 1-0 victories away to Liverpool and Arsenal in the knockout stages, where the French side got past another Premier League team in Villa. PSG's transformation during the competition from a team on the edge of being knocked out of the league phase to a deserving first-time Champions League winner wasn't on the agenda. Stafford-Bloor: Bayer Leverkusen. They were not good at all. A humbling 4-0 defeat at Anfield in November was probably the low point — possibly that awful 2-1 loss to Atletico Madrid in Spain in January – but much of the campaign was tinged with a 'they're better than this' wistfulness. There were injuries, most crucially to Florian Wirtz in the first leg against Bayern, but they never showed their power or much of what had made them such a worthy German champion the year before. It was a meagre effort full of naivety. Cox: We take this for granted now but Manchester City were the bookmakers' favourites to win the competition. They slumped to 22nd and then were absolutely thrashed by a Real Madrid side who were actually quite mediocre this season. Carey: Just how incredible Inter Milan's defensive unit has been this season. In their route to the final, Simone Inzaghi's side have been in a losing position for just 16 minutes — just one per cent of their total time on the pitch. Advertisement When considering they have played against Arsenal, Manchester City, Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona (both across two legs), that is a remarkable feat that would be hard for any side to replicate — let alone when you factor in the extra two games in this year's format. Corrigan: It was surprising to see just how awfully Girona's first-ever appearance in the competition was managed — from start to finish. First, many of the best players who achieved the qualification were immediately moved on, and then not adequately replaced by the ownership (in which City Football Group has the biggest share). Coach Michel and the team did their best in the circumstances. They had a tough draw and were dreadfully unlucky in early defeats to PSG and Feyenoord, but seven defeats in eight games meant it was depressing by the end. Local fans were also upset at how ticketing was organised, with empty seats in temporary stands at their Montilivi ground for most games. It all should bring further questioning of the viability of multi-club ownership in top club football, although it almost certainly won't. Walid: It's summer 2025 and it's quite impossible to name a winner. However, just for fun, I am going with Barcelona. In the 2024-25 edition, they could have easily been in the final if not for Sommer's heroics and a matter of inches here or there. Their risky style of play makes matches entertaining and their talented squad is a pleasure to watch. Yamal will only get better next season, Pedri will still be there, Pau Cubarsi will gain more experience and Marc Casado will be available after missing the quarter and semi-finals because of injury. Hansi Flick's side have been brilliant this season, and there's room to build on that. Advertisement Stafford-Bloor: Liverpool. Battled-hardened and confident from winning the Premier League, and on the verge of a ludicrously successful transfer window. Cox: Barcelona came very close to making the final with a very young squad — the two Poles at either end of the pitch excepted — and you'd expect them to improve next season. Carey: Real Madrid don't take too kindly to being knocked out of Europe, so you would imagine that Xabi Alonso's No 1 remit will be to get them back on their European perch at the first time of asking. That answer doesn't necessarily follow too much logic based on how things might look on the field. But when have Madrid and logic ever gone hand-in-hand in European competition? Corrigan: It is far too early, but Real Madrid jumped into my head. They were an awful mess this season but Carlo Ancelotti was also really unlucky with injuries, especially in defence. Xabi Alonso's arrival as coach has really changed the mood at the Bernabeu. If he can persuade Madrid's hierarchy to sign a new deep midfielder, in the mould of a young Alonso himself, then they should be right back in the reckoning next season.

Club World Cup 2025: Schedule, teams, stadiums, controversies, how to watch and more
Club World Cup 2025: Schedule, teams, stadiums, controversies, how to watch and more

Yahoo

time7 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Club World Cup 2025: Schedule, teams, stadiums, controversies, how to watch and more

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is a 32-team tournament featuring top professional clubs from around the world, set to begin June 15, 2025, in the U.S. (Photo courtesy of FIFA) The 2025 Club World Cup is a first-of-its-kind tournament that, in FIFA's dreams, is precisely what its name suggests. It's a 32-team extravaganza modeled after soccer's actual World Cup, with one key difference: top professional clubs, such as Real Madrid — rather than national teams, such as Spain — are the contestants. It is scheduled to begin June 14 in the United States. And when it does, to FIFA, it will be 'innovative, inclusive, groundbreaking and truly global.' It represents a novel concept in sports, where the vast majority of pro teams compete exclusively within national or continental borders; the Club World Cup, on the other hand, will feature multinational pro teams — soccer's equivalent of the New York Knicks or Kansas City Chiefs — from Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania. Advertisement It is, in theory, a true world championship. But it's also controversial. Its launch has been dogged by organizational missteps, financial battles, player workload concerns and resistance from the European soccer establishment. Throughout 2024 and 2025, though, puzzle pieces squirmed into place. Twelve U.S. stadiums were chosen. A global broadcast deal with DAZN, and then sublicensing deals with TNT and Univision, were signed. The groups were drawn. The full schedule arrived. A $1 billion prize money pot was revealed. The Club World Cup, in other words, is happening. And the following is an attempt to explain it, beginning with the basics, then the complexities. When is the 2025 Club World Cup? The Club World Cup begins June 14 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Inter Miami will play Egypt's Al Ahly in the opener at 8 p.m. ET. Advertisement It concludes July 13 with the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The full schedule — dates, locations, matchups, kickoff times — is here (in grid form), here (in text), and below. Where is the 2025 Club World Cup? The 12 U.S. venues set to host games are: • Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta • Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina • TQL Stadium in Cincinnati • The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California • Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida • GEODIS Park in Nashville • MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey • Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida • Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida • Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia • Lumen Field in Seattle • Audi Field in Washington Advertisement MetLife will host nine matches, including both semifinals and the final. Philadelphia and Miami will get eight games apiece. Atlanta, Seattle and the Rose Bowl will get six. Most venues are on or near the U.S. east coast because of its proximity to Europe, which will send 12 teams, and which boasts coveted media markets. East-coast games will minimize travel (for teams and fans) and inconvenient time differences (for TV viewers). FIFA also made this decision in coordination with CONCACAF, soccer's North and Central American governing body, which will stage its continental championship, the Gold Cup, simultaneously and entirely west of the Mississippi River. How can I watch the 2025 Club World Cup be on TV? DAZN, a streaming service, will make all 63 games available to viewers globally for free. Advertisement Many of the appealing games will also be broadcast in the United States on TNT and/or Univision (and/or their affiliate channels). Univision, UniMás and TUDN will air 18 games; (schedule). TNT will show 24, but, as of May, it had not confirmed the specific matches. Which teams are in the 2025 Club World Cup? The 32 clubs set to participate are … Europe (12): Manchester City (England), Chelsea (England), Real Madrid (Spain), Atlético Madrid (Spain), Bayern Munich (Germany), Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Juventus (Italy), Inter Milan (Italy), PSG (France), Benfica (Portugal), Porto (Portugal), RB Salzburg (Austria) Advertisement North America (5): Inter Miami (U.S.), Seattle Sounders (U.S.), Monterrey (Mexico), Pachuca (Mexico), and the winner of a play-in game between LAFC (U.S.) and Club América (Mexico) South America (6): Flamengo (Brazil), Palmeiras (Brazil), Fluminense (Brazil), Botafogo (Brazil), River Plate (Argentina), Boca Juniors (Argentina) Asia (4): Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Ulsan (South Korea), Urawa Reds (Japan), Al Ain (UAE) Africa (4): Al Ahly (Egypt), Wydad (Morocco), ES Tunis (Tunisia), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) Oceania (1): Auckland City (New Zealand) Why those teams, but not Barcelona, Liverpool and others? How did they qualify? In 2023, FIFA allocated the Club World Cup's 32 berths to Europe (12), South America (6), CONCACAF (4), Africa (4), Asia (4), Oceania (1) and the host nation (1). Advertisement To earn those berths, there were two qualification routes — one simple, one complicated. The simple path was via continental championships. Every club that won the UEFA Champions League, the Copa Libertadores, the CONCACAF Champions Cup, or the Asian and African equivalents between 2021 and 2024 qualified automatically. Beyond those champions, slots were filled by a results-based ranking system, but with a caveat: only the top two clubs from any given country could qualify via rankings. So, even though Liverpool ranked eighth in Europe, the Reds missed out because Man City and Chelsea won the Champions League in 2023 and 2021. Barcelona, meanwhile, ranked two spots behind Atlético Madrid — because Barca underperformed in the Champions League over the four seasons prior to its 2024-25 resurgence. Salzburg ranked 18th, but snuck in because others from Spain, Italy and Germany also ran up against the two-per-country cap. Advertisement In South America, four different Brazilian clubs swept the Libertadores titles. Argentine giants Boca and River claimed the two additional seats at the table. In Africa, Al Ahly won three of four Champions League titles, so Espérance Tunis and Mamelodi Sundowns joined them and Wydad in the field. In CONCACAF, things were initially straightforward, with four distinct winners … except for the 'host nation slot.' FIFA never said how a team could claim that slot — until October 2024, when FIFA president Gianni Infantino appeared in South Florida, unannounced on the final day of the MLS regular season, to declare that Inter Miami would get it. So why is there a play-in game? Two of CONCACAF's four qualifiers, the Mexican clubs Pachuca and León, are owned by the same entity, Grupo Pachuca. In October, after both had qualified, FIFA released the Club World Cup's regulations, which include an article prohibiting the participation of teams who share an owner. Months later, citing this rule, FIFA expelled León from the tournament, and concocted a play-in game between LAFC and Club América for the final spot. That game is Saturday (10:30 p.m. ET, DAZN). What is the Club World Cup format? The Club World Cup will run just like past men's World Cups, with the 32 teams divided into eight groups of four. Advertisement The top two in each group will advance to the Round of 16. From there, single-elimination games will decide a champion. How is the 2025 Club World Cup different from previous iterations? For roughly two decades, FIFA ran another tournament also called the Club World Cup. That, though, was a shorter seven-team tournament played annually in the winter, and contested by only the most recent champion of each continent (plus one club from the host country). That tournament has now morphed into the 'FIFA Intercontinental Cup.' The 32-team quadrennial summer tournament that will launch in 2025, and that you're reading about now, is distinct, and unconnected to the seven-team annual version — other than the 'Club World Cup' name. Who are the favorites? The European giants. Advertisement At BetMGM, Real Madrid and Manchester City are co-favorites (+450). PSG and Inter Milan, the Champions League finalists, and Bayern Munich should also contend. So could Chelsea and Atlético Madrid. Manchester City, winners of the previous iteration of the Club World Cup in 2023, are among the favorites to take home the trophy in 2025's updated tournament. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, file) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Who's in which group? A glitzy, bizarre, painfully long December draw in Miami sorted the teams into the following eight groups: Group A: Palmeiras (Brazil), Porto (Portugal), Al Ahly (Egypt), Inter Miami (U.S.) Group B: PSG (France), Atlético Madrid (Spain), Botafogo (Brazil), Seattle Sounders (U.S.) Group C: Bayern Munich (Germany), Auckland City (New Zealand), Boca Juniors (Argentina), Benfica (Portugal) Group D: Flamengo (Brazil), ES Tunis (Tunisia), Chelsea (England), Club América/LAFC (Mexico/U.S.) Group E: River Plate (Argentina), Urawa Reds (Japan), Monterrey (Mexico), Inter Milan (Italy) Group F: Fluminense (Brazil), Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Ulsan (South Korea), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) Group G: Manchester City (England), Wydad (Morocco), Al Ain (UAE), Juventus (Italy) Group H: Real Madrid (Spain), Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Pachuca (Mexico), RB Salzburg (Austria) Will the non-European clubs be able to compete with Champions League giants? That's the million-dollar question of the Club World Cup. With intercontinental club competitions so scarce, not a soul knows for sure how clubs from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, MLS, East Asia, North Africa and elsewhere will measure up to the likes of Bayern, PSG and Porto. Advertisement The assumption — based on rosters and salaries — is that the European teams are superior. But betting markets have been somewhat skeptical, and suggest the gap might be thinner than Westerners realize. At the time of the draw, Palmeiras was +1900 to win the title — same as Dortmund and Juve. Al Hilal and Flamengo were +2500 — same as Porto and Benfica. There are several indexes grounded in analytics that attempt to rank clubs across borders and seas. Most lead to a middle-ground conclusion: the Man Cities, Real Madrids and Bayerns of the world stand confidently atop the sport, but not all European teams do. Upsets will be possible. Opta's power rankings, which include over 13,000 clubs, rate the 33* Club World Cup contestants as follows: (Opta global rank and rating in parentheses, as of May 29) Manchester City (3, 98.6) PSG (4, 98.3) Inter Milan (6, 97.5) Bayern Munich (7, 97.2) Real Madrid (8, 96.4) Chelsea (9, 96.0) Atlético Madrid (14, 93.5) Borussia Dortmund (15, 93.1) Juventus (21, 92.0) Benfica (25, 91.8) Porto (56, 87.2) Palmeiras (66, 86.1) Al Hilal (77, 85.5) Flamengo (81, 85.1) River Plate (86, 84.8) *Club América (91, 84.5) Al Ahly (102, 83.9) RB Salzburg (126, 82.9) *LAFC (127, 82.9) Monterrey (130, 82.7) Boca Juniors (131, 82.7) Botafogo (132, 82.7) Mamelodi Sundowns (137, 82.6) Seattle Sounders (144, 82.2) Inter Miami (166, 81.7) Pachuca (229, 80.2) Fluminense (238, 80.0) ES Tunis (258, 79.6) Urawa Reds (295, 78.9) Ulsan (366, 77.7) Wydad (369, 77.6) Al Ain (611, 74.5) Auckland City (4944, 55.5) Will the European clubs send their best players? Yes. In fact, FIFA's published Club World Cup regulations state that all participating clubs must 'field their strongest team throughout the competition.' Advertisement And the prize money on offer — potentially over $100 million for a European winner — is sufficient incentive for them to do just that. FIFA has also opened up a special transfer window for all participating clubs to add to their squads ahead of the tournament. Final rosters are due June 10. I've heard the Club World Cup is all about money. Is that true? Sort of — to the extent that all of modern sport is about money. The Club World Cup is FIFA's attempt to monetize soccer's biggest clubs and players — which double as the sport's most marketable brands. Currently, the vast majority of club soccer games, and therefore revenues — from broadcast rights, sponsorships and more — are controlled by domestic leagues, such as the English Premier League; and by continental confederations, namely UEFA, which runs the hugely profitable Champions League. Advertisement FIFA, meanwhile, makes billions off the World Cup, a quadrennial showpiece for national teams. But because the Champions League is an annual bonanza, UEFA's revenues are far greater. Those revenues trickle down to European clubs and national soccer federations, which use the money to recruit or produce players — and consolidate their supremacy. So, FIFA created the Club World Cup, which, for the first time, could allow the global governing body to profit off those same clubs — and share some small percentage of the spoils with 200-plus national soccer federations around the world, rather than solely the European ones. FIFA argues that this would be a noble redistribution of wealth. Critics argue it's a 'cash grab'; part of a personal battle between Infantino and UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin; and a ploy to reinforce Infantino's political power — because the presidents of the 200-plus national soccer federations sharing the spoils double as FIFA's electorate. UEFA and the top European leagues, meanwhile, have blasted and resisted Infantino's plan, because they want to keep all Real Madrid- or Manchester City-related revenue to themselves. Aren't they all concerned about player workload? The players and their unions are. FIFPRO Europe, a branch of the global players' union, has called the Club World Cup a 'tipping point' in the broader context of soccer's ever-congested calendar. They've launched a legal claim against FIFA, which 'unilaterally set' the calendar, with space carved out for the Club World Cup. They argue that, especially with the new tournament extending seasons by a month, players' bodies and brains are becoming overworked and overwhelmed. Advertisement The leagues, on the other hand, say they're concerned about workload; but really, they want to protect their market share. They already organize dozens of games per club every year; the Club World Cup will merely add a few games for a small handful of teams once every four years. The leagues want to preserve their primacy on the calendar. Their problem is that FIFA controls both the Club World Cup and the calendar. So they, too, have gone to court and attacked 'FIFA's conflict of interest.' They've argued to the European Commission that FIFA is abusing its position as both a commercially minded organizer and regulator of soccer. Their case, which many experts believe has merit, could muddy the future of this new tournament. How is FIFA funding the Club World Cup? FIFA, anticipating immense interest in the Club World Cup, initially budgeted billions of dollars in revenue. But broadcasters and sponsors — the two main sources of potential income — were lukewarm. Negotiations with Apple collapsed. As the draw approached, no television partners had been announced; and sponsors had only just begun to appear. Advertisement But then, in December, FIFA announced that DAZN had purchased global broadcast rights. Two people familiar with the deal confirmed to Yahoo Sports that the deal was worth around $1 billion — the same amount that Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund invested in DAZN two months later. That $1 billion ensured that the 2025 Club World Cup could happen. How can I buy tickets? Tickets are available via FIFA and Ticketmaster. With two weeks to go until the opener, plenty are available for most games. And with demand relatively low, FIFA has slashed ticket prices for most games, in some cases by more than 50%. So, will the Club World Cup be a big deal? It could be. In many ways, it should be. But most insiders expect the 2025 edition to be a mixed bag of vibrancy, mishaps, full stadiums and duds. Advertisement Even a mixed bag, though, should be enough to get the Club World Cup off the ground, and in position for success in 2029 and beyond. (It could return to the U.S. in 2029.) Full 2025 Club World Cup schedule The full schedule is below. All kickoff times are U.S. Eastern Time. Saturday, June 14 8 p.m. — Inter Miami vs. Al Ahly — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida) Sunday, June 15 Noon — Bayern Munich vs. Auckland City — TQL Stadium (Cincinnati) 3 p.m. — PSG vs. Atlético Madrid — Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California) 6 p.m. — Palmeiras vs. Porto — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey) 10 p.m. — Seattle Sounders vs. Botafogo — Lumen Field (Seattle) Monday, June 16 3 p.m. — Chelsea vs. LAFC/Club América — Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta) 6 p.m. — Boca Juniors vs. Benfica — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida) 9 p.m. — Flamengo vs. ES Tunis — Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia) Tuesday, June 17 Noon — Fluminense vs. Borussia Dortmund — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey) 3 p.m. — River Plate vs. Urawa Reds — Lumen Field (Seattle) 6 p.m. — Ulsan vs. Mamelodi Sundowns — Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando) 9 p.m. — Monterrey vs. Inter Milan — Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California) Wednesday, June 18 Noon — Manchester City vs. Wydad — Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia) 3 p.m. — Real Madrid vs. Al Hilal — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida) 6 p.m. — Pachuca vs. RB Salzburg — TQL Stadium (Cincinnati) 9 p.m. — Al Ain vs. Juventus — Audi Field (Washington, D.C.) Thursday, June 19 Noon — Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey) 3 p.m. — Inter Miami vs. Porto — Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta) 6 p.m. — Seattle Sounders vs. Atlético Madrid — Lumen Field (Seattle) 9 p.m. — PSG vs. Botafogo — Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California) Friday, June 20 Noon — Benfica vs. Auckland City — Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando) 2 p.m. — Flamengo vs. Chelsea — Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia) 6 p.m. — LAFC/Club América vs. ES Tunis — GEODIS Park (Nashville) 9 p.m. — Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida) Saturday, June 21 Noon — Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Borussia Dortmund — TQL Stadium (Cincinnati) 3 p.m. — Inter Milan vs. Urawa Reds — Lumen Field (Seattle) 6 p.m. — Fluminense vs. Ulsan — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey) 9 p.m. — River Plate vs. Monterrey — Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California) Sunday, June 22 Noon — Juventus vs. Wydad — Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia) 3 p.m. — Real Madrid vs. Pachuca — Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte) 6 p.m. — RB Salzburg vs. Al Hilal — Audi Field (Washington, D.C.) 9 p.m. — Manchester City vs. Al Ain — Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta) Monday, June 23 3 p.m. — Atlético Madrid vs. Botafogo — Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California) 3 p.m. — Seattle Sounders vs. PSG — Lumen Field (Seattle) 9 p.m. — Inter Miami vs. Palmeiras — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida) 9 p.m. — Porto vs. Al Ahly — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Tuesday, June 24 3 p.m. — Benfica vs. Bayern Munich — Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte) 3 p.m. — Auckland City vs. Boca Juniors — GEODIS Park (Nashville) 9 p.m. — LAFC/Club América vs. Flamengo — Camping World Stadium (Orlando) 9 p.m. — ES Tunis vs. Chelsea — Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia) Wednesday, June 25 3 p.m. — Borussia Dortmund vs. Ulsan — TQL Stadium (Cincinnati) 3 p.m. — Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Fluminense — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida) 9 p.m. — Urawa Reds vs. Monterrey — Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California) 9 p.m. — Inter Milan vs. River Plate — Lumen Field (Seattle) Thursday, June 26 3 p.m. — Juventus vs. Manchester City — Camping World Stadium (Orlando) 3 p.m. — Wydad vs. Al Ain — Audi Field (Washington, D.C.) 9 p.m. — Al Hilal vs. Pachuca — GEODIS Park (Nashville) 9 p.m. — RB Salzburg vs. Real Madrid — Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia) Advertisement Friday, June 27 Rest day. Saturday, June 28 — Round of 16 Noon — A winner vs. B runner-up — Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia) 4 p.m. — C winner vs. D runner-up — Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte) Sunday, June 29 — Round of 16 Noon — B winner vs. A runner-up — Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta) 4 p.m. — D winner vs. C runner-up — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida) Monday, June 30 — Round of 16 3 p.m. — E winner vs. F runner-up — Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte) 9 p.m. — G winner vs. H runner-up — Camping World Stadium (Orlando) Tuesday, July 1 — Round of 16 3 p.m. — H winner vs. G runner-up — Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida) 9 p.m. — F winner vs. E runner-up — Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta) Advertisement Wednesday, July 2 and Thursday, July 3 Rest days. Friday, July 4 — Quarterfinals 3 p.m. — 1E/2F vs. 1G/2H — Camping World Stadium (Orlando) 9 p.m. — 1A/2B vs. 1C/2D — Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia) Saturday, July 5 — Quarterfinals Noon — 1B/2A vs. 1D/2C — Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta) 4 p.m. — 1F/2E vs. 1H/2G — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Sunday, July 6 and Monday, July 7 Rest days. Tuesday, July 8 — Semifinals 3 p.m. — 1A/2B/1C/2D vs. 1E/2F/1G/2H — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Wednesday, July 9 — Semifinals 3 p.m. — 1B/2A/1D/2C vs. 1A/2B vs. 1C/2D — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Advertisement Thursday, July 10 – Saturday, July 12 Rest days. Sunday, July 13 — Final 3 p.m. — Final — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey)

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